Safety float for marine craft



June 1967 R. G. VOGELSANG 3, 24,

SAFETY FLOAT FOR MARINE CRAFT Filed Jan. 8, 3.965

United States Patent 3,324,816 SAFETY FLDAT FOR MARENE CRAFT Roger G. Vogelsang, 105 Honey Creek Road, Ada, Mich. 49301 Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,276 3 Claims. (Cl. 114-63) This invention relates to a water displacing chamber with quick inflation for preventing complete submersion of water borne vessels when in immediate danger of sinking.

The object of this invention is to prevent sinkage of vessels primarily after collision or disaster where sinking appears inevitable.

Manual or submersion activation charges a large gas tight chamber for subsequent floatation, this chamber being flexible for convenient storage during non use. As most water craft have personnel quarters large enough to support the sinking craft if kept filled with air, it may be seen that a large gas filled chamber occupying this space will maintain floatation during rescue. Various volume types may be employed in various sized craft for such emergencies at nominal costs, and as storage life is long, the infrequent possible usage is available on demand.

Slight pressurization prevents collapse when submerged in water therefore giving maximum floatation during use. A tough external material of the floatation bag prevents damage with said internal pressure on likely cabin projections as table corners etc. when inflated in personnel quarters of stricken water craft.

The accompanying drawing is in its preferred form, however it is not limited to this configuration. Numerical definition herein reflect major components.

FIGURE 1 shows a typical inflated configuration with the cabin of a water craft.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section of a pyrotechnic charging device for inflating the floatation chamber.

In FIGURE 1 the floatation chamber 1 filled with gas from generator or storage tank 2, occupies cabin area of water craft.

In FIGURE 2 a pyrotechnic gas generator body 2 contains a pyrotechnic compound 4 which when ignited generates a gas for charging the floatation chamber 1. Ignitor primer 5 may be either electrical or mechanically activated as herein shown with firing pin mechanism 6, by force of spring 7.

Upon Water rise, safety ring disintegrates enough for the tension of spring 11 to release cord 12 thus permitting float 9 to release firing pin 6 through sear and lever arm 8, as pivoted on knife edge which is secured to guide screw 19. Safety ring 10 prevents accidental discharge of the device during handling and installation as the combustion chamber 2 and gas cooling tubing coils 13 should be submerged in water during activation for cooling.

Guide sleeve 19 for firing pin shaft 6 is screwed into primer body-cap 17 which in turn is screwed into body 2 and is kept gas tight by seal 18.

Flare fitting 14 couples the gas transfer tubing 13 from gas generator 2 to the floatation chamber storage cabinet 3. Lid 16 is lightly clipped onto its cabinet 3 by friction fingers for ease of removal from expanding floatation chamber 1. Clamp 15 holds a flexible leader tube to gas discharge port which is attached to cabinet 3.

Brackets 21, spot welded to gas generator body 2, cover 23 and cabinet 3, permit simple fastening of these components by screws 22 to bulkheads etc. within the boat to be protected. Typical installation areas would be at floor level in cabin or personnel quarters in nonobstrusive places, preferably in central locations if the floatation chamber is oblong in shape.

Other objects and advantages may be apparent to those skilled in .the art, so to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the disclosed structure herewith, I claim all such insofar as they fall Within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims. Thus described and disclosed herewith.

I claim:

1. A safety float apparatus for boats, comprising an inflatable chamber normally collapsed in a deflated condition within a hull, inflating means including a container holding a pyrotechnic charge, a float actuated prong disposed adjacent said container and adapted to set off said pyrotechnic charge in response to said float being moved upward by the rising water in said hull, and a device for preventing inadvertent movement of said float comprising a spring attached to said container, a cord, and a water soluble ring interposed between said spring and said cord.

2. A safety float apparatus for boats, comprising an inflatable chamber normally collapsed in a deflated condition within a hull, inflating means including a container holding a pyrotechnic charge, a float actuated device for setting off said pyrotechnic charge in response to said float being moved upward by the rising water in said hull, and a device for preventing inadvertent movement of said float comprising a tension member connecting said float to a fixed point, said member including a water soluble ring interposed between its ends.

3. A safety float apparatus for boats comprising an inflatable chamber normally collaped in a deflated condition within a hull,

a container holding a pyrotechnic charge of suflicient gas-generating capacity to produce a quantity of gas adequate unaidedly to fully inflate said chamber and constituting the sole gas-supplying source for inflat ing said chamber,

a gas-cooling heat exchanger including an elongate circuitous conduit of high heat conducting material disposed and connected between said container and said chamber and eifective to cool the hot gas emitted by the combustion of said pyrotechnic charge sufficiently to prevent heat damage to said chamber,

and means for igniting said pyrotechnic charge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,295,375 2/1919 Ryczek 114-68 X 2,924,192 2/1960 Salvage 11468 3,222,230 12/1965 Hebenstreit et a1. 9-321 X MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A SAFETY FLOAT APPARATUS FOR BOATS COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE CHAMBER NORMALLY COLLAPSED IN A DEFLECTED CONDITION WITHIN A HULL, A CONTAINER HOLDING A PYROTECHNIC CHARGE OF SUFFICIENT GAS-GENERATING CAPACITY TO PRODUCE A QUANTITY OF GAS ADEQUATE UNAIDEDLY TO FULLY INFLATE SAID CHAMBER AND CONSTITUTING THE SOLE GAS-SUPPLYING SOURCE FOR INFLATING SAID CHAMBER, A GAS-COOLING HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDING AN ELONGATED CIRCUITOUS CONDUIT OF HIGH HEAT CONDUCTING MATERIAL DISPOSED AND CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER AND SAID CHAMBER AND EFFECTIVE TO COOL THE HOT GAS EMITTED BY THE COMBUSTION OF SAID PYROTECHNIC CHARGE SUFFICIENTLY TO PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE TO SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR IGNITING SAID PYROTECHNIC CHARGE. 